Toronto-based Sun Life Global Investments (Canada) Inc. announced several changes to its mutual fund line-up coming this fall, including a change in portfolio management.

Starting Oct. 2, New York-based Schroder Investment Management North America Inc. will takeover portfolio subadvisory responsibilities for Sun Life Sentry Global Mid Cap Fund. In light of this change, the fund will be renamed Sun Life Schroder Global Smaller Companies Fund. As well, the fund’s investment strategy will be amended to reflect Schroder’s investment style.

Sun Life also intends to merge several of its mutual funds in October. For one, Sun Life MFS Canadian Equity Fund and Sun Life MFS Canadian Equity Value Fund will merge with Sun Life MFS Canadian Equity Growth Fund on Oct. 27.

As a result of the merger, Sun Life MFS Canada Equity Growth Fund will take over as the underlying trust fund of the Sun Life MFS Canadian Equity Class. The fund will be renamed Sun Life MFS Canadian Equity Growth Class and its investment strategy will be changed so as to note that the fund will invest primarily in the Sun Life MFS Canadian Equity Growth Fund.

Sun Life has also proposed merging Sun Life Sentry Conservative Balanced Fund and Sun Life Granite Income Portfolio. If approved by the unitholders on Oct. 6, the conservative balanced fund will be closed to new investors that same day. Once the merger is completed on Oct. 27, unitholders of the closing fund will receive equivalent series unit of the Sun Life Granite Income Portfolio.

If the merger is not approved, Sun Life will terminate the Sun Life Sentry Conservative Balanced Fund on Oct. 27.